Knitting technology, Third Edition

28.3
Pattern guide bars
On conventional multi guide bar machines, pattern guide bars are only required to
supply one thread each for a pattern repeat width. Different yarn counts or types
are used to achieve greater effect. To use ordinary guide bars for this purpose would
be uneconomical as their weight would lower the machine speed. Also, only about
eight to thirteen shogging or displacement positions are available so the patterning
capabilities would be severely restricted.
Instead, light-weight pattern guide bars are used that have drilled holes to which
finger guides
are screw-attached, only at the required spacing for the pattern. These
bars are indirectly shogged by a lever arrangement (B) at a rate of one link per
course (C), both for inlay and for fall-plate or embroidery patterning [1] (Fig. 28.2).
In the last 2 cases, an automatic overlap mechanism is used.
Fig. 28.1
42-bar raschel lace machine [Karl Mayer].

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342
Knitting technology
28.4
Guide bar nesting
Up to four pattern bars can be ‘
nested
’ together so that their guides converge into
the same displacement line. They swing as a single guide bar but they are shogged
independently, although guides of bars in the same nest cannot cross or approach
within two needle spaces of each other (Fig. 28.3).
On the 42-bar lace raschel, thirteen displacement lines are available. The front
two are conventional guide bars for knitting the ground, the next may be a con-
ventional bar for draw-threads when knitting trimmings, or it can be one of two
nests of two pattern bars, and there are another nine nests each of four bars.
28.5
Multi-bar tricot lace machines
Multi guide bar tricot machines with between eight and eighteen guide bars have
been built in gauges of E 24–28 for the production of fine gauge lace [2]. Two fully-
threaded bars are used to knit the ground, such as reverse locknit or queenscord,
with fine yarn such as 44 dtex nylon. Pattern bars behind the ground bars are used
for inlay effects. Those in front are employed for embroidery designs in the form of
overlaps and underlaps, in a textured yarn so that they stand out in relief on the
technical back. The knitted overlaps show through from the face and the underlaps
float across the back (Fig. 28.4).
Fig. 28.2
Automatic overlap guide bar drive.

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Multi guide bar machines and fabrics
343